Pet Shop
by The Atomic Cafe
Summary: MacClaire After getting two new pets, Mac and Claire realize that not all species get along.


**Pet Shop**

**By Dimgwrthien**

_Disclaimer: I do not own CSI:NY or affiliates._

The couple entered the one store in all of New York that boiled them both down to their most simple elements.

Pet shops always had a strange effect on both Mac and Claire. Mac could rarely enter one without sneezing around the cats. He usually stayed close to the front of the store, holding his breath for as long as possible to not have to smell the pet food. Claire, however, felt complete pity, having to see the animals put in their cages. She wanted to go through every row, petting each animal, telling them how much she wanted to take them home.

And now she had the chance to.

Since her dog, Terry, had died, Mac noticed how sullen Claire seemed. He had asked Stella a few days before how to deal with her, and Stella answer was simple: Just get her a new dog.

Claire looked along the rows of animals, feeling nostalgic about Terry, but elated at the chance to start off with a new friend. She stopped to pet a shaggy dog that had to be her height if it stood. Then, straightening up, she spotted a kitten in the glass case above.

"Hey Mac?" Claire asked. When there was no answer, she peered back to the front of the store where Mac was staring out at the street from the window. "Mac?"

He turned. "Yeah?"

"Come over here!" Claire waited until Mac stood beside her, holding one hand near his nose to weaken the smell of fur. "What do you think of this cat?"

"You want a cat now?" Mac asked, frowning at her.

"Yes," Claire answered stubbornly. "Just look at her eyes! And she's adorable!

Mac examined the cat. She had striped fur of orange and brown as well as yellow eyes. "She's cute, but you know I can't stand cats."

Claire jokingly pushed his arm. "Don't try telling me you have allergies again. You already said that about Terry, and I never saw you sneeze once around him after we first got him!"

Having the decency to look ashamed, Mac told her, "Alright, I'm not allergic to cats. Just a tiny bit." Mac sniffed slightly, already feeling the cat's fur get to him.

Claire seemed to take pity. "Mac, you should have a pet, too."

"What?" Mac furrowed his brow, watching the cat meow at them. "I don't like pets that much."

"I'll pick one out for you, then." Claire glanced along the rows until her eyes landed on another cage on the opposite side of the room. "Haven't you always wanted a rabbit?" she joked, sticking a finger between the metal bars to rub a rabbit under the chin. "Just look at them!"

Mac frowned at the group of rabbits. "I told you, I -"

"You're getting a rabbit," Claire told him. "Better than a fish, but not as bad as a dog, I suppose. Right?"

Still frowning, Mac crossed his arms. Claire ignored his look and called one of the owners of the store over. They spoke for a minute as Mac looked at the rabbits. One of them, a tan rabbit with flopping ears, stared right back at him, still chewing its food. It's eyes seemed trained on Mac, and when Mac put his finger between the bars, the rabbit nibbled on them. It didn't have too sharp of teeth, and the nibbling felt nice.

"Which one, Mac?" Claire asked, tapping his shoulder, partly faced to the cashier.

"That one." Mac continued to pet the rabbit. "I've never wanted one of these, but I suppose I could handle it for a little while."

Once money was handed over the counter, the animals were put into two new cages, and Claire picked out rabbit and cat food, they headed home. Claire lectured Mac on the ride of how animals are supposed to get used to their new homes before they're trained. Mac silently hoped that they were already trained.

And they weren't.

The following day after work, Mac was surprised to see that Claire hadn't returned yet. He glanced at his clock, supposing that she had to finish something up before heading home.

"Peter?" he called. He hadn't felt creative when naming the rabbit. "Lovica?" Claire did feel very creative while picking out a name.

The cat came slinking out from the kitchen. She had a mouthful of fur that he tugged from her and threw into the trashcan, making a disgusted face. Mac noticed a few scratches along the cat's side, so he bent down to examine her. That seemed to be her only injury, so Mac looked around for Peter. "Peter?"

A soft whining sound told him to look at where the cat had come from. He peered around the corner to see Peter, on his side, gazing up at him. Mac moved closer, noticing thinner scratches than the cat's over the rabbit's ribcage and neck. The cat sat to groom itself.

Mac heard keys go into the door's lock and someone come in. "Claire?" he called to her. She answered back, setting down her coat, then walking up behind him.

"What did you do to Peter?"

"Nothing! I think Lovica and Peter were just fighting. Ought to take the two to the vet…."

He looked over his shoulder to see that she was holding Lovica close to her. Mac picked up the rabbit, cradling its head.

"Time to head back to the car?" she asked. Mac nodded, knowing that he would need a dry cleaner to get the fur off of his jacket afterwards.


End file.
